Placard holder for tank cars



E. A, FALL PLACARD HOLDER FOR 'IA NK CARS Oct. '11, 1927.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 2, 192.5

KEEP LIGHTSANDHRES AWAY Oct; 11. 1921.

, 1,644,774 E. A. FALL PLACARD HOLDER FOR TANK CARS Filed May 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EARLUABEW -IIEAR EMPTYQ DUE & cu. RETURNTU CHlCABU DUE 818D I BHIDAGD LESSEE GD.

Patented Get. 11, 1927.

HTF, i

EDWARD a. FALL, or nnrnnsronn, NE'W annsny.

rnacennnotnn'a restraint. cans.

' Application filed May 2,.

The present invention relates to improvements in placard holders for tank cars, particularly of the class employedfor transporting inflammable and otherwise dangerous fluids.

The holder hereinafter described is of the same type or class as disclosed in my earlier Patents Nos. 1,510,671 and 1,510,672, dated Oct. 7th, 1924.

The object of the present invention is-to provide a placard holder of the general character of those of my former patents, but in which the number of parts employed will be reduced to a minimum and a structure having certain practical advantages over those of the patents produced.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a tank car having an embodiment of the present invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the reverse face of the placard from that displayed in Fi 1.

Fig. 4 is a detailof the holder member on the car shown in Figures 1- and 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective showing a slightly modified form of the holder member.

Fig. 6' is a sectional view showing the holder of Fig. 4- applied to the underside of the running board of the car.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a portion of a placard support embodying the inventionas employed with the holder shown in Figure 6.

Figs. 8 and 9 are elevations of the invention in which the faces of the placard plate are covered with detachable members. Q

Fig. 10 is a sectional detail substantially on the line 1010' of Figure 9.

Fig. 11 is a view of the form of holder shown in Figure 5, detached and in reversed position.

Referring to the drawings, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views, A designates a portion of the body of a tank car and B, C, the side and end running boards, with which such a car is commonly provided.

The placard'holder of the present invention comprises a main plate D, preferably made of metal, and shown as beingof substantially square outline, although the invention is l3' 110 means limited to any particular shape.- This plate is secured in a slot formed 1925. Serial No. 27,603.

in an enlarged portion 6 of an elongated stem or shank E, which is fitted within a passage formed in a holder adapted to be securely fastened to a portion of the frame of the car or, if preferred, to the running boards. The plate D is preferably made of metal having an enamel coating on bothfaces, and further provided on such faces with data indicative of the character of the lading of the car to which the placard is applied. As

shown, this data includes certain blank spaces-adapted to receive relatively temporary markings referring,'for example, to the particular railroad over which the car isto be transported, or to the station atwhich it is loaded andjthe date of shipment, etc.,\.'

which markings may be readily applied with a suitable crayon and readily changed as required.

In the shipment of inflammable fluids, gas of various kinds and acids, it is customary'to print these notices or placards on sheets of paper which were fastened by various means to the frame or runmng boards of the cars, and when the tank had been unloaded, the

placard was detached. The present inven tion avoids the necessity for employing such placards. If, however, it shouldbe desired to display some particular informationat any time special additionalplacards, of card, paper or other material, maybe secured to either, or both faces of plate D by fastening means extending through a series ofapertures a formed at suitable intervals: adj acentthe perimeter of the plate. I I

The elongated stem or shank E of the improved placard holder includes a section e, which, as shown, is preferably made of polygonal form in cross section, and also with a reduced section 0 preferably of substantially circular form in cross section. The stem extends through a passage in a tubular boss F formed integral with a base member adapted to be secured by suitable bolts or other fastening means to a portion of the car frame or the running board thereof. The stem or shank of the placard holder is of suflicient length to extend through the passage in the boss F and the latter is preferably of a cross sectional form corresponding to that of the polygonal section 'e'ofthe' stemso that rotation of the placard holder within the passage through the boss is prevented. By moving the placard holder hodily in the direction of the length of tlieste n, the reduced sectie'ii a my be l means for those connecting the placard supbrought within the passage in the boss and then the support may be readily rotated.

Means are provided, as in the structures of my earlier patents, by which it is impossible to readily, bodily, withdraw the placard sup port stem from the holder on the car, which means, however, will permit of the necessary movement of the placard support in the direction of the length of its stem to enable the placard to be reversed. Various forms of port stem and the holder may be provided For example, a ring G may be secured to the stem and a. removable pin, such as a cotter pin H, connected to said ring by a short length of'chain. VVhen the pin is passed through an aperture in the reduced portion of the stem, it will be seen that movement of the support longitudinal of the stem in the holder is limited to such an extent that the polygonal section e cannot be moved from engagement with the holder. By withdrawing the pin H however, the placard support may be move a relative to the holder so that the reduced section e of the stem is within the passage of the boss F and in this position the placard may be rotated as desired.

It has been found desirable, and the regulations governing the transportation of certain commodities require that the placard adjacent the side running board of a tank car shall not only indicate the character of the car lading, but also the particular commodity of thegeneral character which is contained within the tank at any period of use. To provide for this my improved device includes a supplemental holder shown as being formed of a metal plate K, which is secured to the enlarged portion 6 of the placard support and extends transversely there of. 'As shown, the opposite edges of this holder K are bent to-provide overhanging beads projecting from one face thereof and in the grooves thus formed is adapted to be I held a card or slide J. The supplemental that adjacent the side running board B as being provided with a holder K, although no card J is shown in connection with said end placard. Of course, the placard for the end of the car need not have any holder K, as the regulations do not require that the particular commodity designation be displayed at the end of the car. However, it

has been deemed best to illustrate a single form of the invention, which is applicable to either the side or end running boards, the card J being only used where required.

The holder K. may be secured to the support by the same fastening means are employed to secure the plate D to said support and the construction in this regard is a very simple and strong one.

Preferably the passage through the boss F c the body of the car. In this position only 7 one face of the plate D will be in clear view, and the form of the passage through the boss and of the section 6 of the stem is such that L the parts can only be arranged 1n either of two diametrically opposite positions so-that only one face of the plate D will be displayed, and when the support is reversed the other face will be brought into display position. r

It will be seen that the holder is attached to the car so that-the placard support is always arranged between the inner edge of the running board and the tank body of the car so that there is no danger of a person walking past the car or on the running board striking the corners or edge of the plate I) and being injured or of such plate, being struck and bent out of the desired shape.

Unler some circumstances the holder may include but a single boss F arranged at one end of an elongated bar or basemember, but when desired the holder may have a boss F at each end thereof, and in this form the inner faces of said bosses are arranged preferably at an angle of approximately ninety (90) degrees,so that when the holder is attached to the car frame one of said bosses will be in position to support a placard adjacent the end of the tank body and running board, while theplacard supported by the other boss will be at the side of the body and running board.

The holder may be secured to the car frame so that the bosses F will either be caused to extend upward or to depend therefrom, as n some car structures there willnot be sufficient space between the frame, or running trated in- Figures 6 and 7 the-sections c, 6

of the support stem are arranged reversely with relation to the enlarged end section ev of the support, from that shown in Figures 1 to 3, and the free end ofthe section a is reduced somewhat and provided with a thread with which engages a nut hi that retains the placard support in relative pera ma nent connection with the holder, but per-' mits it to be moved, in the direction of the length of the stem, to'bring the section 0 within the passage of the boss F so that it may be reversed when desired.

The aperture; a in the plate D may be employed for securing special placards to the plate D, as above described, and, of course, such placards need not necessarilyrelate to the lading of the car, but may be used for ,any other suitable purpose. For example, 4 in case a car has been leased to a particular parts and the matter displayed on the ill placard plate A,;can'be' varied as circumstances make it desirable without departing from the present invention.

The drawing is to be considered as illustrative rather than restrictive of the. invention and it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details shown, except as these are specifically recited in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is 1. An article of the character described comprising a holder adapted to be attached to the frame or running board of a tank car,

a placard support having a stem engaging said holder b means permitting the support to be adjustec to reversed positions, a placard indicating the character of the lading of a tank car having a portion extending across a section of said support, a plate, bearing a designation of a particular commodity of the class to which the placard refers, overlying portions of the placard support and placard, and'a common fastening means extending through the overlapping portions of said plate, placard and placard support and connecting them together.

2. An article of the character described comprising, a support for a placard indicating the character of the lading of a tank car, a plate secured to the placard support and provided on one face With means for supportin a slide bearing a. designation of a particular commodity of therclass to Which the placard refers, andmeans for mounting and support on the' frame or runningboard of a tank car so as to display eith r fa f said plate.

3. An article of the character described comprising a placard bearing on opposite faces information as t'o the character of the lading} of a tank can-means for supporting said placard from a tank car adapted-to dis play either face of the: placard, and a supple'mental means movable With the placard for displaying a designation of a particular commodity of the character referred to by the placard when the face of the latterindieating that-the tank is loaded is exposed-to vlew. a

i. An article of the character described comprising aholder adapted to-be mounted .on a car, a placard support havingan elongated stem extending through said holder, means permitting alimited 'movemen't 1n the direction of the length of said stem between the placard support and holder, the

support being rotatable in the holder when in a particular adjusted relation and being held from turning, Whenirr normal relation, whereby either of two placards referring to the nature of the car lading may-be displayed,- and supplemental means on said sup port adapted to receive a designation of a particular commodity of the character referred toby the placards and tobe displayed when the support is po'sition'ed to display the placard denoting that-the earis loaded.

7 51-iin article of the character described com-prising a placard support including an elongated stem-having atone end an em larged portion adapted to be securedto a placard indicating the character of the lading of a tank car, means attached to said enlarged portion of the support for displaying a designation of a particular commodity of the character referred to by the main placard, and means for mounting said support on a car and permitting it to be held from rotation in either of two positions.

6. An article of the character described comprising a placard support including an elongated stem having at one end a. slot adapted to receive the edge of a placard, plate extending across the outer face of one vWall of said slot'and provided With means for engaging opposite edges of a slide, means for securing said plate to the support and the edge of a placard within said slot, and a holder adapted to be attached to the frame or running board of a tank car and to surround the stem of the placard support.

7. A holder for placard supports for railtures extending approximately at an angle of ninety degrees to each other, whereby the holder may be arranged to support placards adjacent both the side and end running :boards of a tank car.

' .8. A holder for placard supports for rail' way tank cars comprising a base member adapted to be secured at an intermedlate point in its length to a tank car frame and provided at each end with a tubular boss, adapted, to receive the stem of a placard support, extending substantially at right angles to-the base member and at approximately an angle of ninety degrees to each other, substantially as and for the purposes described.

.9. An attachment for railway tank cars :omprising a'holder including a base memberadapted to be secured to the frame or running board of a tank car and having at each end a tubular boss, extending substan tially at right angles-to thebase member, so

- that said base Will extend vertically adjacent the side and' end running boards of the car to which the attachment is applied, and a placard support having a stem adapted to be positioned to extend through either of 7 said bosses, a section of said stem normally cooperating with the holder to prevent the stem from turning in the holder and adapt- 7 ed by bodily movement of the placard support in the direction of the length of its stem to be rendered inoperative to prevent such turning movement.

10.- An article of the character described comprising a plate adapted to display on either face data relative to the character of the lading of a tank car, means for supportcomprising a plate adapted to display oneither face, data relative to the character of the lading of a tank car, means for supporting said plate from the frame or running board of a tank car with its faces in vertical planes substantially parallel with a plane extending longitudinally of the car, a sheetlike member adapted to cover the data on either faceof said plate, and means for de- 1 tachably connecting said member to the plate.

12. An article of the character described comprising a plate adapted to display on either face data relative to the character of the lading of a tank car, and having a series of suitably spaced apertures adjacent its perimeter, means for supporting said plate from the frame or running board of a tankcar with its faces in vertical planes substantially parallel with a plane extending longitudinally of the car, a sheet-like member adapted to cover the data on the face of the plate remote from the body of the car, and means extending through said apertures for detachably connecting said member to the plate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD A. FALL. 

